Tag Archives: 613 commandments

Christian, Inspirational

Catch Alls

If you read my previous post, I must apologize. Rather than spend the next 24 posts examining the remaining 600 Commandments in the Torah, I will skip to some ideas I was planning for the summary post. I think at a future date I may develop the idea more fully into a book.

Concerning the verses I’m not covering at this time keep in mind there are changes which have taken place because of Jesus. We are under his blood and the New Testament when we are baptized properly into the family of God and following him. Jesus is the final and only sacrifice for sin. Hence animal sacrifice for sin is ended. The dietary regulations of the Jews ended with Peter’s vision in Acts 10 opening the Jewish family and salvation to us Gentiles. To call food unclean is to once again call the gentile unclean.

There are some New Testament verses which I consider catch alls and key verses that I think are important in understanding the Law of Jesus.

Romans 13:8 KJV
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

James 4:17 KJV
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Matthew 23:23 KJV
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Matthew 9:13 KJV
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

And one of my favorite verses, especially if someone makes you feel forsaken or left without hope. This is what God said in Romans 9:15 KJV,
For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

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Christian, Inspirational

Written on the Heart

I’ve discussed the Law of Jesus in previous posts. This is what New Testament churches say we are under, professing we are no longer under the Law of Moses. Be wary of the church you attend, this can even include the Ten Commandments.

Ultimately, the Law of Jesus is what we allow God to write on our hearts and minds. What is written on the Heart must in most cases first pass the gates of our Mind. This is problematic since most preachers today don’t know, follow, nor preach the Law of Jesus.

In Matthew 22:37-40 KJV Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. [38] This is the first and great commandment. [39] And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. [40] On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I have learned and believe the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 are instruction on how to love God and our neighbor.

I’m not sure if you can teach discernment, but in this and in following posts I will attempt to do so as I proffer for your consideration my interpretation of the Law of Jesus.

I have been asked about the 613 commandments Jewish leaders teach. The first question one should ask before writing a law upon the heart is does it help me demonstrate love towards God and/or my neighbor. Moses warned us not to add or to diminish from the Law, statutes, and regulations given by God. I will attempt not to do so.

This post will examine 600-613. In future posts I will examine the remaining 613 commandments approximately 25 per post. The commandments are taken from Wikipedia. In future posts I will discuss New Testament laws and some catch alls of note. My comments are in italics.

  1. Deut. 25:13 — Not to possess inaccurate scales and weights even if they are not for use This seems a reasonable way to love our neighbor and people we do business with and is an extension of thou shalt not steal. Even if they are not for use – seems to be an addition from rabbinical influence. Why possess them and the temptation. For future reference I will use ri to represent rabbinical influence. Keep in mind as Christians we have only one Rabbi – Jesus. As such I give deference to him and the Holy Bible, but view other teachers with skepticism.
  2. Deut. 25:17 — Remember what Amalek did to the Jewish people
  3. Deut. 25:19 — Wipe out the memory of Amalek
  4. Deut. 25:19 — Not to forget Amalek’s atrocities and ambush on our journey from Egypt in the desert We can choose to remember, but I’m not sure who Amalek is today or how to apply this except as perhaps a warning on how we relate to those that seriously wrong us. I try to remember first what Paul said, vengeance is mine saith the Lord.
  5. Deut. 26:5-9 — To read the Torah portionpertaining to their presentation I don’t like to break up sentences so I added through verse 9, but the crux seems to be remember the Lord who delivered us from the Egyptians and deny not the Truth.
  6. Deut. 26:13,12,14— To read the confession of tithes every fourth and seventh year – of importance here is generosity to others, who can argue giving especially to those mentioned is a good account.
  7. Deut. 26:14 — Not to spend its redemption money on anything but food, drink, or ointment At issue here is the ri of unclean use. I think when we eat we should eat thankfully and when we give we try to give to truly good purposes.
  8. Deut. 26:14 — Not to eat Ma’aser Sheni while impure
  9. Deut. 26:14 — A mourner on the first day after death must not eat Ma’aser Shenii I don’t feel that this applies today. Ma’aser Shenii is the second tithe. I’m not sure I understand the designations of five tithes. Our donations today are typically given in cash to our local churches on a weekly basis. Frankly, I’m not convinced that we are under the tithe today. Advice for giving in the New Testament is to give cheerfully and as we have prospered, but Jesus himself said the children are free. Of interesting note is that early Jews celebrated in the fruits of the tithe with the recepients!
  10. Deut. 22:26 — The court must not punish anybody who was forced to do a crime Please read the surrounding verses. The ri has greatly broadened the principle expressed here. Being raped is not a criminal act, but it does appear the victim should cry out for help in the city. I think in the city or in the country a victim should cry out for help. It may be thus the crime is prevented. The concept presented is mercy for the victim, punishment for the perpetrator.
  11. Deut. 28:9 — To emulate His ways indeed he wants us to live and be Holy. Matthew 5:48
  12. Deut. 31:12 — To assemble all the people on the Sukkot following the seventh year the focus or spirit of this and surrounding verses seems to be Read and Learn God’s Law. Traveling to Israel may be impractical, but learning from the Holy Bible is not.
  13. Deut. 31:19 — Each male must write a Torah scroll I disagree with ri here. I feel the song may be verses 20 and 21 which were a prophetic warning against Israel.
  14. Deut. 32:38 — Not to drink wine poured in service to idols the New Testament says as much as we are not to eat food sacrificed to idols. Acts 15:29
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